From Orientation to IEP Meetings: How AI Is Helping Schools Build Stronger Communities

(MENAFNEditorial) From AI tutors boosting student performance to chatbots helping teachers create lesson plans, the use of artificial intelligence in schools has raised concerns about academic integrity and the loss of human connection in classrooms.

But a growing number of schools and universities, like the University of Southern California (USC) and the United Nations International School (UNIS), are using AI to strengthen human connection for the millions of students and parents who speak a language other than English at home. From parent-teacher conferences and Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings to university orientations and school board meetings, Wordly, the pioneer in real-time AI translation and captioning, is helping educational institutions ensure every voice can be heard.

More than 67 million Americans speak a language other than English at home. Federal law requires schools to communicate meaningfully with all parents, yet traditional interpretation services are costly, limited in scale, and difficult to coordinate. AI translation offers a scalable, affordable, and accessible solution.

“AI is often framed as disruptive, but in education, it’s becoming connective,” said Lakshman Rathnam, Founder and CEO of Wordly. “Nearly one in five students in the U.S. lives in a household where a language other than English is spoken, and AI translation helps ensure those families feel seen, heard, and included in the education system. It brings people closer together, and that’s the kind of progress AI should deliver.”

USC: Connecting a Global Campus
At the University of Southern California (USC), where more than 25% of students come from over 130 countries, inclusive communication is critical. Wordly provides real-time translation for both in-person and live-streamed orientation sessions, allowing international students and their families to engage in their preferred languages.

Since its implementation, USC has delivered over 50 hours of live AI translation to more than 700 attendees, supporting languages from Korean and Chinese to Spanish, Vietnamese, and Persian. Families can access translation instantly on their own devices, without advance requests, interpreters, or complex setups, making orientation and campus events truly inclusive.

UNIS Hanoi: Inclusion Across 65 Nationalities
The United Nations International School (UNIS) Hanoi, one of the most diverse K-12 schools in Asia, serving students from 65+ nationalities, has also seen dramatic results. In its first year using Wordly, more than 40 events, including parent orientations, workshops, and coffee mornings, reached 1,700+ participants in their preferred language. Events that once drew 15 parents now see 150+ attendees, while training sessions regularly top 200 participants. Parents now attend orientations, student showcases, and workshops not out of obligation, but out of excitement.

AI Translation: Scalable, Accessible, Human
Unlike traditional interpretation, AI translation works in real time by converting live speech into text and audio across dozens of languages, delivered instantly to participants on their own devices, no headsets, interpreters, or advance requests required. The technology provides context-aware translation, live captions for hearing-impaired audiences, and transcripts after events, making communication both inclusive and accessible. Across public schools, private institutions, and universities, AI translation is proving that innovation and inclusion go hand in hand.

“AI doesn’t have to be controversial,” Rathnam added. “When used thoughtfully, it levels the playing field, giving schools a way to communicate with every student and family, not just those who speak the majority language.”

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